Burned
by Khapitan
Summary: Cas awakes to an empty room, burned and broken. This is the silence that falls after a storm has hit. One shot.


**INT. MOTEL ROOM - TWIN BED - DIMLY LIT - NIGHT**

CASTIEL sits on the edge of the bed, facing the door. His coat, jacket, tie and shirt have been removed. The coat is thrown over a chair. It is clear the back of it has been burned away.

The bedsheets are crumpled. He has recently awoken. The light sheets are stained dark red. His whole torso is heavily bandaged. Thick, blood-stained padding covering his back. In his hands, he holds a note.

_Back soon. Stay here. S&D_

He stares sombrely at the paper. Still, quiet, lost.

The sound of a key scraping the lock stirs him. He looks up as the door swings open. Dean and Sam stand in the doorway. They look tired and ruffled but their faces instantly change when they see Cas.

**SAM**  
Cas!

**DEAN**  
Cas! How are you doing?

They enter the room, Sam quickly shutting the door behind. Dean drops two bags, one standard duffel the other store brand. He scans Cas.

**CAS**  
_(carefully)_  
I've been better.

**DEAN**  
Right. Stupid question. Glad you're back with us.

**CAS**  
Where have you been?

**DEAN**  
_(light heartedly)_  
Oh, uh, on a hunt. Some voodoo ghost or something. We sorted it. Got you a new coat as well… Just incase you couldn't fix the old one.

**CAS**  
Thank you.

Sam and Dean sit at the table, sagging with relief. Dean pours a drink and Sam rubs his face. There is a silence that stretches alarmingly from casual to uncomfortable. Cas shifts gingerly to face them.

**SAM**  
So… um. Psycho angel woman. What the hell did she do?

**CAS**  
She… its difficult to explain. She's a higher class. Powerful. They're specially trained in using their grace as a physical weapon.

**SAM**  
So if that had hit us, we'd be dust...

**CAS**  
Yes.

_(beat)_

An unspoken _thank you_ sounds between the brothers and Cas. Dean swigs his drink because he finds there is nothing he can say. Sam shakes his head in disbelief. He notices as Cas picks cautiously at his bandages.

**SAM**  
Uh… you weren't healing so, so we patched you up. Um. Best we could.

**CAS**  
Thank you.

**DEAN**  
_(false bravado)_  
But you will heal, right? Once you get back on your feet. Its not like you've lost your mojo or anything.

**CAS**  
No, I still have my grace.

**DEAN**  
Right, so its just, y'know, like you're temporarily grounded.

**CAS**  
Permanently.

**DEAN**  
What?

**CAS**  
_(carefully)_  
I'm permanently grounded.

**DEAN**  
But you just said-

**CAS**  
I still have my grace...

He shifts carefully. It is clear he is unsure how to continue. Sam and Dean exchange a look. What now?

**SAM**  
Is this… is this a wing… thing?

Dean starts. Unbelieving that Sam brought it up so bluntly. He quickly looks at Cas, a mixture of concern and curiosity. Slowly and steadily, Cas looks up at them.

.

**CUT TO - FLASHBACK**

**EXT. FIELD - NIGHT - DARK AND COLD**

Sam and Dean thud heavily in the grass, struggling to protect each other. There is a painful, high-pitched shrieking. It's building in intensity. The brothers half cover their faces as light explodes around them.

A slight dimming. They look up, half terror half confusion. They're still alive. Why? How?

Cas stands above them. Arms outstretched. Back to the enemy. Shielding them. Grim terror and determination are etched onto his face.

The piercing light burrows into his back. Ragged SCREAMING. Blinding hot veins erupt from Cas' back. They SEAR themselves across the black sky, etching back and forth as though following a path. Cas staggers, but remains upright.

The veins traverse each other, smothering any blank space left. They crackle like slow-motion lightning. Sam and Dean gape. The light has manifested into two giant, outstretched wings.

The light swells.

**DEAN**  
_(horsely)_  
Cas!

.

It becomes too much. Too bright. Too hot. Too white. Sam and Dean bury their faces. There is nothing but light flaring like fire. All we hear is the half human, half angelic sound of Castiel screaming.

.

* * *

_Thanks for reading!_


End file.
